ROURKELA:The State government-run SK DAV Polytechnic, a diploma engineering college at Rourkela, has hogged limelight for wrong reasons again after a first year mechanical engineering student on Friday lodged a complaint with Uditngar police station alleging assault and ragging by seniors.
The complainant, a native of Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda district, said that he would quit the institute and study elsewhere as senior students consume alcohol and ganja and hold late night meetings to rag juniors.
The complaint stated that on June 4, some seniors assaulted the first year student and subjected him to ragging during annual function of the college leading to his hospitalisation. He, therefore, reached out to police for justice.
Principal Reenati Ray said she was informed shortly after the incident that during annual function, senior students were dancing near the venue where the complainant got involved with them and was assaulted. Subsequently, the institute’s disciplinary committee found that an altercation had broken out when the complainant threatened them with calling some outsiders. Then four senior students and one classmate assaulted him.
In presence of the complainant's parents, the principal insisted on lodging separate complaints against the five students for assault and against the first year student for issuing threat.
However, the parents insisted on a compromise apprehending a threat to his career Accordingly it was decided the five accused students would bear Rs 20,000 as treatment cost. The issue was settled but now a case has been registered, she said.
Incidentally, in December 2021, a similar incident had occurred leading to an inquiry by the disciplinary committee and police complaint. The case was resolved after the complainant student’s parents reached a compromise.
The principal, however, had no satisfactory answer as to why such occurrences are repeatedly taking place in the college. Established in 1967, the college at Basanti Colony here imparts diploma engineering courses to about 900 students.